Halifax Regional Police say a 56-year-old Halifax lawyer is being charged for allegedly smuggling drugs to a client during a meeting at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth's Burnside Park.

Police aren’t releasing the lawyer’s name, but Metro has learned it’s Anne Calder, a defence lawyer and former Crown prosecutor. She was released from police custody last night and will appear in court at a later date to face a charge of trafficking.

Police say at 4:21 p.m. Tuesday they were called to the facility by jail guards who claimed a lawyer gave a package containing drugs to an inmate.

Members of the integrated drug unit investigated and HRP spokesman Const. Brian Palmeter said this led to the determination the package contained a controlled substance. Palmeter said the substance was a “prescription narcotic” and the lawyer was later arrested.

“We allege a quantity of the controlled substance entered into the facility with the lawyer and during the course of a meeting was passed over to the inmate,” Palmeter said.

Department of Justice spokeswoman Carla Grant said yesterday conversations between lawyers and their clients are monitored through video, and “guards were watching as the alleged transaction was taking place.”